Bendable handrail assembly of an exercise apparatus

ABSTRACT

A bendable handrail assembly of an exercise apparatus wherein the handrail assembly is divided into a fixed portion and a bent portion. The fixed portion is coupled with a tube and positioned at an inclined angle relative to the handrail support of the exercise apparatus. The bent portion includes at one end thereof an inclined shaft fitting into the tube, and the bent portion is positioned by means of an elastic element and a positioning element in a pivotable state. At that time, the bent portion can be brought in a nearly horizontal position relative to the ground. When the handrail assembly is bent, the bent portion can rotate on the inclined shaft along the inclined angle (Z-axis of space) in a vertical position relative to the ground.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Fields of the Invention

The invention relates to a bendable handrail assembly of an exerciseapparatus, and more particularly, to a structure that may avoid anunexpected false action and permit a constant and tight attachment of abent portion. Moreover, the transport and the storage of the electrictreadmill may be facilitated to a great extent.

2. Description of the Related Art

Not long ago, the U.S. administration bureau for safety control on theexercise apparatuses announced the requirements on the length of thehandrails of the exercise apparatuses. The length of the handrail has tofulfill a certain criterion to achieve a basic safety protection duringthe exercise sessions. As a result, the packaging, the assembly, and thetransport of the exercise apparatuses are affected to some extent.Regarding the impact on the packaging and the transport of the exerciseapparatuses, the handrail and the handrail support have to bedisassembled. Otherwise, the volume of the product will be substantiallyincreased, thereby raising the transportation costs. At the same time,the self-assembly steps and their difficulty will be increased.Therefore, how to design the handrails without affecting the structuralstrength and under considerations on use safety, will become the seriousissue for the manufacturing industry.

According to the general principles of mechanical design, it is theeasiest and the most economical way to the resolve the above-mentionedissue when the handrail can be freely bent. Most of the improveddesigns, as far as we observed, employ a structure capable ofhorizontally or vertically bending. In other words, the handrailincludes a joint for bending in a horizontal direction (in X-axis ofspace) or in a vertical direction (in Y-axis of space).

The above-mentioned improvement may fulfill the requirements onreduction of the volume and simplification of the assembly steps.However, the bending joint produces visible segments after the bendingprocess. In addition to unsightliness, the inevitable defects onweakening the strength will also be created at the connection portions.Meanwhile, it is most likely to cause an unexpected false action in viewof the holding and force-acting way. In other words, the handrail iseasily rotated or moved by a lateral thrust or a longitudinal rotationalforce when the operator holds on the handrail. Therefore, the safety ofthe operator tends to be affected considerably. As a result, furtherimprovements are required.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

A primary object of the invention is to provide a bendable handrailassembly of an exercise apparatus. The handrail is divided into a fixedportion and a bent portion both of which are pivotably installed at aninclination on a handrail support of the exercise apparatus such thatthe bent portion is bendable along an inclined path in a verticalstorage position. As a result, the bendable handrail assembly of theinvention may avoid an unexpected false action and permit a constant andtight attachment of a bent portion. Moreover, the transport and thestorage of the electric treadmill may be facilitated to a great extent.

According to the invention, the handrail assembly is divided into afixed portion and a bent portion. The fixed portion is coupled with atube and positioned at an inclined angle relative to the handrailsupport of the exercise apparatus. The bent portion includes at one endthereof an inclined shaft fitting into the tube, and the bent portion ispositioned by means of an elastic element and a positioning element in apivotable state. At that time, the bent portion can be brought in anearly horizontal position relative to the ground. When the handrailassembly is bent, the bent portion can rotate on the inclined shaftalong the inclined angle (Z-axis of space) in a vertical positionrelative to the ground.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The accomplishment of this and other objects of the invention willbecome apparent from the following description and its accompanyingdrawings of which:

FIG. 1 is a side view of a preferred embodiment of the invention;

FIG. 2 is a side view of the embodiment of the invention according toFIG. 1 wherein the bent portion is bent in a vertical position;

FIG. 3 is a an enlarged view of the encircled portion of FIG. 1;

FIG. 4 is a path diagram in bending the bent portion in a storageposition; and

FIG. 5 is a side view of the exercise apparatus of FIG. 1 that isfolded-up in a storage position.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

The present invention will now be described in more detail hereinafterwith reference to the accompanying drawings that show variousembodiments of the invention.

First of all, the invention can be applied to all exercise apparatusessuch as treadmills, elliptical cross trainers, fitness bikes, steppers,etc. The treadmill is taken as an example for the following description.

Referring to FIGS. 1 through 3, an electric treadmill 10 includes atreadmill's deck 11 with a handrail support 20 at both sides thereof, afront support 12, and a rear ground-touching element 13. Moreover, asecondary ground-touching element 14 for supporting the treadmill in avertical position is disposed at the front end of the deck 11.

The handrail assembly 30 is divided into a fixed portion 31 and a bentportion 32. The fixed portion 31 is coupled via a tube 33 to the top ofthe handrail support 20 of the electric treadmill 10 at an inclinedangle. The bent portion 32 includes at one end thereof an inclined shaft34 fitting into the tube 33. The bent portion 32 is positioned by meansof an elastic element 35 and a positioning element 36 in a pivotablestate. In this way, the bent portion 32 can be brought in a nearlyhorizontal position relative to the ground 40.

Based on the assembly of the above-mentioned components, as shown inFIG. 4, the bent portion 32 can rotate on the inclined shaft 34 alongthe inclined angle (Z-axis of space) in a vertical position relative tothe ground 40 when the handrail assembly 30 is bent.

Likewise, the bent portion 32 can be bent along the reverse path from avertical position into a horizontal position.

The bent portion 32 and the tube 33 are closely secured by use of theforce of the elastic element 35. Moreover, any parts of the bent portion32 and the tube 33 won't be exposed to outside, thereby maintaining theoverall appearance and the integrity at the interconnection sectionafter the bending process.

The electronic control console 15 of the electric treadmill 10 can beinstalled at an extension part of the fixed portion 31 of the handrailassembly 30. In this way, the bending action of the bent portion 32won't be affected at all.

The bent portion 32 is moved only at a certain angle along aninclination path in a storage position or in an operation position. As aresult, the bent portion 32 is not easily shifted by a force in lateralor longitudinal direction. In this way, an unexpected false action canbe avoided such that the safety of the operator in use may be fullyensured.

As shown in FIG. 5, the deck 11 of the electric treadmill 10 is foldedupward in a vertical storage position. Meanwhile, the bent portion 32 ofthe handrail assembly 30 can be bent in a corresponding position. Inthis way, the total volume and the occupied space may be effectivelyreduced, thereby facilitating the transport and the storage of theelectric treadmill 10 to a great extent.

Many changes and modifications in the above-described embodiment of theinvention can, of course, be carried out without departing from thescope thereof. Accordingly, to promote the progress in science and theuseful arts, the invention is disclosed and is intended to be limitedonly by the scope of the appended claims.

1. A bendable handrail assembly of an exercise apparatus, the handrailbeing divided into a fixed portion and a bent portion both of which arepivotably installed at an inclination on a handrail support of theexercise apparatus such that the bent portion is bendable along aninclined path in a vertical storage position.
 2. A bendable handrailassembly of an exercise apparatus, the handrail assembly being dividedinto a fixed portion and a bent portion both of which are installed on ahandrail support of the exercise apparatus, wherein the fixed portion iscoupled with a tube and positioned at an inclined angle relative to thehandrail support of the exercise apparatus; wherein the bent portionincludes at one end thereof an inclined shaft fitting into the tube, andthe bent portion is positioned by means of an elastic element and apositioning element in a pivotable state, whereby the bent portion canbe brought in a nearly horizontal position relative to the ground, and,when the handrail assembly is bent, the bent portion can rotate on theinclined shaft along the inclined angle in a vertical position relativeto the ground.
 3. A bendable handrail assembly of an exercise apparatus,the handrail assembly is installed on a handrail support of a electrictreadmill, wherein the electric treadmill includes a treadmill's deckwith a handrail support at both sides thereof, a front support, and arear ground-touching element; wherein a secondary ground-touchingelement for supporting the treadmill in a vertical position is disposedat the front end of the deck; wherein the handrail assembly is dividedinto a fixed portion and a bent portion; wherein the fixed portion iscoupled with a tube and positioned at an inclined angle relative to thetop of the handrail support; wherein the bent portion includes at oneend thereof an inclined shaft fitting into the tube, and the bentportion is positioned by means of an elastic element and a positioningelement in a pivotable state, whereby the bent portion can be brought ina nearly horizontal position relative to the ground, and, when thehandrail assembly is bent, the bent portion can rotate on the inclinedshaft along the inclined angle in a vertical position relative to theground.